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Will not start/crank get is a clicking sound?

Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 1985 JEEP CJ7
  • 4.2L
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • MANUAL
  • 80,308 MILES
Replaced the solenoid with an automatic one by mistake and I replaced the starter with an OEM one from rock auto and I replaced the plugs and battery cables, and nothing had it running about 4 years ago. About 2 and a half years ago it would crank but not start/turn over and now all I get is a clicking sound coming from around the coil

Please help.

and for the record it has not been on the road since 1992 and its all original but for plugs cables tires solenoid and starter and battery.
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Monday, September 16th, 2024 AT 8:10 AM

43 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,356 POSTS
So, the battery is new, correct? Because it sounds like it has a low voltage battery. Also, does the engine turn over by hand? I would try that first, here is a video to help you:

https://youtu.be/oN42gZN6gOE?si=tMpp0g6IKMjsiUgE

If the engine turns over by hand and the battery is good let's see if you are getting 12 volts to the trigger wire of the starter when the key is in the crank position.

This guide can help:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/starter-not-working-repair

Here are the wiring diagrams for the starter in case you need them. Check out the images (below). Please upload pictures or videos in your response of any problems so we can see what to help you with.
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Monday, September 16th, 2024 AT 1:55 PM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
It does turn over by hand. And the battery is new the starter engages too because I just replaced the starter this year and hasn't been used yet.
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Monday, September 16th, 2024 AT 6:36 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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  • 48,356 POSTS
Okay, Is there power at the starter trigger wire when in the crank position? Can you upload short video of the problem?
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Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 AT 9:22 AM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
No I can't upload a video I use a battery from another car I have because it isn't street legal yet
could it be because I am using an automatic starter solenoid in a manual one.
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Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 AT 1:05 PM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
And it has power because it sparks if you touch metal to the solenoid. Because I was being stupid and having the battery connected when I was screwing the solenoid in place when I replaced it.
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Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 AT 1:07 PM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
And it has power everywhere I used a receptacle tester to see if has anywhere it lacks power and it doesn't lack any and should I try to replace the solenoid with a manual one? Or should that not be an issue that the one I got was for an automatic transmission and I have a manual transmission.
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Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 AT 2:16 PM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
It won't even crank or start or try to it just clicks and it won't do anything it will click when trying to start and then stop.
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Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 AT 2:18 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,356 POSTS
The video is of the Jeep just sitting, and when you say clicks do you mean many clicks or just one?
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Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 AT 3:32 PM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
One click and it's done. Is it possibly the solenoid I replaced it with one that's for the automatic transmission by mistake and it's a manual Transmisson. And knowing that amc kind of did stuff to cut corners and they used the same wire setup in every single one and the automatic transmission one has extra wires, and the manual Transmisson doesn't need them all.
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Wednesday, September 18th, 2024 AT 6:03 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,356 POSTS
Hmm, all starters need a trigger wire and main power wire, did you look at the guide above to see how to test for power at the trigger wire?
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Wednesday, September 18th, 2024 AT 5:30 PM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
Yes, the stater engages when you turn it over by hand you can hear it engage when you turn the key to battery and try to turn it over by hand.
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Thursday, September 19th, 2024 AT 1:37 PM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
Also, the solenoid is on the fender inside the engine compartment not next to the starter so the starter has a wire coming from the solenoid to the starter and the solenoid has 3 wires on the hot side and the starter wire goes on the other side and I watched a video of how it's done when I put it on and I watched many of them and the ones I watched said the same thing and I picked the one I could understand best.
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Thursday, September 19th, 2024 AT 1:38 PM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
I can get a video of the engine bay I can't use a battery in it right now like I have said above I use a battery from another car and that car is having issues staying reliable since it has 200k miles on it and I don't want to mess with it when it's running fine right now. I can get a video tomorrow it's been raining for me, and I don't want to open the engine bay when it's raining.
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Thursday, September 19th, 2024 AT 1:42 PM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
It would crank but not turn over about a year and a half ago and then it stopped after sitting for a year and a half ago and then when I was trying to clean connections I tightened a nut too tight on the original solenoid and the hot side broke off so I got a Duralast one off auto zone and come to find out that it was made for an automatic transmission when the jeep is a manual.
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Friday, September 20th, 2024 AT 7:53 AM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
Also, the loose wires were never connected at any time from 1985 until now and it clicks right around the coil/starter solenoid area, and I know about the bad video quality it's the best I can get.
Video (Click to make bigger)
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Friday, September 20th, 2024 AT 8:02 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Thanks for the video, so the small wires at the solenoid, does one of them get power when the key is in the crank position?
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Friday, September 20th, 2024 AT 10:40 AM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
Yes power goes to it.
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Friday, September 20th, 2024 AT 12:40 PM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
Nothing was ever done to any wire only parts replaced are the alternator battery and positive battery wire and the starter and the solenoid and plugs and air filter.
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Friday, September 20th, 2024 AT 12:43 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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And when power goes to it does the starter main power wire get power?
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Saturday, September 21st, 2024 AT 10:35 AM
Tiny
1985 CJ7 JEEP FAN
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
Yes, I was being dumb tightening the wire on the starter with the battery on it and someone trying to start it while I was putting the wire on the starter after I replaced it got a little shock. So, I would say it has power.
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Saturday, September 21st, 2024 AT 1:36 PM

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